Lone Working Policy and Training: What HSE Expects in Great Britain

Lone working training is not a single set course with a legal hour count. In Great Britain, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says employers must deal with the risks before anyone works alone, and that it will often be safe to work alone. Training, supervision, monitoring and support are how you manage that risk, and what each lone worker needs depends on your risk assessment. This guide covers Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), based on HSE's leaflet INDG73 (rev4, March 2020).

Is lone working allowed?

HSE's leaflet has a section headed "Is it legal to work alone and is it safe?". Its answer is that it will often be safe to work alone, but the law requires you to think about and deal with any health and safety risks before people are allowed to do so. In other words, lone working is not something HSE prohibits across the board. The duty is to manage it properly.

HSE defines lone workers as "those who work by themselves without close or direct supervision". Its examples include delivery drivers, health workers, engineers, security staff, cleaners, warehouse and petrol station staff, and people working at home. The leaflet applies to anyone who employs lone workers or engages them as contractors, including self-employed people.

There are limits. HSE notes that some high-risk work, such as confined space work or work near exposed live electrical conductors, may need at least one other person to be present. A general "lone working is fine" assumption does not cover those tasks.

The legal basis: risk assessment

The leaflet draws on the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Under regulation 3 of the Management Regulations, employers must make a "suitable and sufficient" assessment of the risks to their employees and to others affected by their work. If you employ five or more people, you must record the significant findings.

HSE is explicit that there is no legal requirement to carry out a specific, separate risk assessment for lone workers. Instead, the risks to lone workers should be included in your general risk assessment. It should be reviewed periodically and after significant changes. HSE also says you remain responsible for the health, safety and welfare of all your workers, including contractors, volunteers and self-employed people, and you cannot hand that responsibility to the lone worker.

For how long health and safety training generally stays valid, see how often health and safety training needs renewing in the UK.

What to ask in the assessment

HSE's leaflet sets out questions to consider. In summary:

• The worker: how experienced are they in the role and in working alone, have they had relevant training, and are they more vulnerable (for example young, pregnant, disabled or a trainee)?
• The environment and equipment: is the work isolated or rural, are they entering someone else's home or premises, is there a safe way in and out outside normal hours, and do they have reliable communication and a way to call for help?
• The task: does it involve lifting items too large for one person, handling cash, asking for payment, or a security role with authority over customers?
• Emergencies: what could go wrong, such as fire, equipment failure, illness or an accident, and how will the worker get help?

For tasks involving lifting, see our guide to manual handling training and how often it is needed.

Lone working training: what HSE says

HSE does not set a course title, duration or renewal period for lone working. What it does say is practical:

• Lone workers are usually unable to ask more experienced colleagues for help, so extra training may be appropriate.
• Workers should be competent for the job, trained in any technical solutions provided (such as alarm devices), and able to recognise when to seek advice.
• Emergency procedures should be established and put in place, and employees should be trained in them. Practice should be regular and realistic.
• Dynamic risk assessments, meaning on-the-spot decisions about unforeseen risks, are not a substitute for a full risk assessment. Where workers must make them, they need training in how to do so, and support for their decisions.
• Where violence is a risk, control measures can include personal safety training, which may include conflict resolution.
• Some lone workers may need first aid kits or first aid training. Our guide to First Aid at Work versus Emergency First Aid at Work explains the two levels.

The Management Regulations also require adequate health and safety training when employees are recruited and when they face new or increased risks, repeated where appropriate and during working hours (regulation 13). Moving someone into a lone working role is a good moment to check this.

Supervision and monitoring

According to HSE, the level of supervision is a management decision based on the risk assessment: the higher the risk, the greater the level of supervision required. New starters, trainees, people doing a job with specific risks and people facing new situations may need to be accompanied at first.

For monitoring and keeping in touch, HSE mentions options such as supervisor visits, pre-agreed check-in intervals and alarm devices. It says any monitoring system needs to be embedded in the organisation so workers understand it, that you should check lone workers have returned safely to their base or home, and that communication systems and emergency procedures should be tested regularly.

Stress, wellbeing and homeworkers

The 2020 revision added material on stress and mental health. HSE says lone working can affect stress and mental health, partly because support from managers and colleagues is harder to maintain. It suggests agreeing how to keep in touch through regular meetings, including lone workers in social events and team updates, and involving them in consultations on change.

The leaflet also covers people working from home. Employers have the same responsibility for homeworkers' health and safety as for other employees, including supervision, training and control measures.

What goes in a lone working policy

HSE's leaflet has no section on a policy document and does not supply a template, so treat the following as a practical way to record your arrangements rather than a legal format. A short policy usually covers:

• Which roles and tasks involve lone working, and any tasks that must never be done alone.
• Who is responsible for risk assessment and review.
• Check-in and monitoring arrangements, including what happens if a check-in is missed.
• Emergency procedures and how to raise an alarm.
• Training and briefing requirements by role.
• Support for wellbeing, and how concerns are raised.

Record who has been trained and when, and set review dates. A simple training matrix helps you spot gaps.

Quick reference

Frequently asked questions

Can someone be left alone at work?

Often yes, if the risks have been assessed and controlled first. HSE says it will often be safe to work alone, but some high-risk tasks may need another person present.

Do lone workers need a specific qualification?

HSE's leaflet does not name one. It expects workers to be competent, suitably trained and able to recognise when to seek advice, with extra training where appropriate.

How often should lone working training be repeated?

HSE does not set a period. Review it when the assessment changes, when a person moves into a new lone working situation, and as part of regular testing of emergency procedures.

Does this apply to self-employed people?

HSE says health and safety law may not apply to some self-employed people, but if you contract a self-employed person to work on your premises, you remain responsible for their health and safety.

Does this apply in Northern Ireland or Ireland?

No. This article covers Great Britain. Northern Ireland is regulated by HSENI, and the Republic of Ireland has separate legislation.

Where to go next

Start with your existing risk assessment: identify who works alone, add the questions above, and decide the training, supervision and check-in arrangements each role needs. For wider professional development options, browse the Learnsignal CPD hub.

This article is general information, not legal or compliance advice. Check the current HSE guidance and take advice on your own circumstances.